Review: The new Shin-chan film is a heartwarming story about the Nohara parents

The Crayon Shin-chan franchise started in 1990 and has been ongoing ever since — which begs the question: are there any new stories left to tell? After all, virtually everything about Shin-chan's family has been explored (with numerous relatives and supporting characters introduced), so there seems to be very little room left for anything new. However, the latest film in the series takes a back-to-basics approach that works surprisingly well. Crayon Shin-chan: Dangerous Honeymoon - The LostDaddy focuses on the relationship between Shin-chan's parents, and explores the dynamics between them.

Crayon Shin-chan: Dangerous Honeymoon - The LostDaddy is the latest movie in the Crayon Shin-chan franchise. It sees the parents of the Nohara family going on their first honeymoon, since they've never actually gone on a honeymoon after getting married. However, their honeymoon soon turns into a deadly adventure when the whole family winds up in the middle of a three-way battle for an ancient treasure in Australia. After family patriarch Hiroshi gets captured, it's up to the rest of his family and their new friends to mount a daring rescue — and find the treasure.

PHOTO: Odex

Crayon Shin-chan: Dangerous Honeymoon - The LostDaddy opens with an adorable animated claymation sequence — perhaps hinting at a possible 3D-animated future film. It's a cute touch that sets the scene for a genuinely funny film, which mixes up character-driven humour with the usual slapstick antics of Shin-chan and his family that we're all used to. In case you're wondering — yes, you do get to see Shin-chan's butt in all its glory multiple times.

Yes, the film engages in the usual physical gags and humour, although not to an indulgent extent this time around. What's unexpectedly pleasant is that they throw in some other funnies that play on the relationships between the older Noharas, since they have been married for quite a while. They jibe and snipe at each other in hilarious ways, expressing the same sort of discontent you would expect from an old married couple. Of course, it's not the sort of humour that would appeal to the younger target audience — but it'll certainly tickle long-time fans of the series.

PHOTO: Odex

Despite their significant flaws and obvious irritation with each other, Hiroshi (Toshiyuki Morikawa) and Misae (Miki Narahashi) love each other very much. And that is the heart of this movie — the love that exists in a long marriage, which doesn't always present itself in the best ways. It's genuinely touching to see all the different ways that they express concern for each other, and how their attention is so focused on each other when the time is right. You won't be expecting a slapstick comedy to tug on the heartstrings the way Crayon Shin-chan: Dangerous Honeymoon - The LostDaddy does.

This means that the film isn't the typical gimmicky annual anime film you'd come to expect, since it shines the spotlight on the main characters of the series. By choosing to eschew a typical villain-of-the-day or hero-of-the-day approach, it feels much more satisfying as a feature length film.

PHOTO: Odex

All this character development and focus on Shin-chan's (Yumiko Kobayashi) parents does come at a cost, which is that we don't see much of the title character. In fact, Shin-chan is more of a supporting character in this film, with the lead roles going to his parents. He does his usual schtick and delivers all the Crayon Shin-chan scenes we'd expect, but Shin-chan is not actually integral to the film.

The movie also has a draggy second act, which tries to compensate by dumping as much action as possible. But at this point, you're more invested in the relationship between Shin-chan's parents rather than seeing them journey through the wilds and ruins of Australia. It feels like filler, to expand the film to its current runtime. Thankfully Shin-chan and Misae are joined by new character Indy Junko (Haruka Kinami), who's fairly entertaining.

PHOTO: Odex

Crayon Shin-chan: Dangerous Honeymoon - The LostDaddy could have been a humdrum, ordinary anime film. But by focusing on its primary characters and their relationships, it actually works better, and ends up elevating the overall quality of the film. It's definitely one of the better Crayon Shin-chan films in recent years.

PHOTO: Odex

Should you watch this at weekday movie ticket prices? Yes.

Should you watch this at weekend movie ticket prices? No.

Score: 3.4/5

Running time: 100 min

Secret ending? There is a short post-credits scene, and an entertaining sequence during the credits.

PHOTO: Odex

Crayon Shin-chan: Dangerous Honeymoon - The Lost Daddy is a comedy anime from the Crayon Shin-chan anime franchise. It is the 27th movie in the series, and is also known as Crayon Shin-chan: Honeymoon Hurricane - The Lost Hiroshi.

The film's plot revolves around the belated honeymoon of Shinnosuke's parents, Hiroshi and Misae. The duo go on their long awaited honeymoon in Australia, but hijinks ensure when they caught up in a dangerous treasure hunt. But this is no ordinary treasure hunt, as the Nohara family soon finds out.

Marcus Goh is a television scriptwriter, having written for popular shows like “Lion Mums”, “Crimewatch”, “Code of Law”, “Incredible Tales”, and “Police & Thief”. He’s also a Transformers enthusiast and avid pop culture scholar. You can find him on socialmedia as Optimarcus and on his site. The views expressed are his own.